Fashion Reset: Mindanao Creatives Saw A New Sunrise
The country starts to ease restrictions in hosting face-to-face events and gatherings. Due to that, opportunity calls for the local arts and fashion creators to come back with a fresh start. The Mindanao fashion scene is one to see the daylight.
Allusions Fashion Exhibit is a Davao contemporary artist Dominador Pamisa-inspired fashion exhibit. They are featuring the ingenious use of indigenous materials, cultural craft, and modern design innovation embroidered to one fine contemporary art collection.
Xioti Chiu is a local designer and the Mindanao director of the Fashion Designers Alliance (FaDAL). He said that it’s the right time to reset, restart, and recreate the art of fashion.
“As Fadal, we don’t want to spend another time beating up ourselves over something that went wrong as an artist. We felt that we have gone through an unspeakable suppression in our community or Industry for over a year. However, (we never turned off) despite we aim for the greater heights in the Philippine fashion.”
He added,
“This is why we have chosen the theme ALLUSION. By being united, we did not just survive the hardships, but we are slowly rising in the community. Because we are FaDAL be it in the Garments, Bags, Shoes, Accessories, or any other Art forms. Our Alliance will foray our platforms in the Southern Philippines to bring Honor, Prestige, and Service.”
Designers Fadal Mindanao carefully curated each piece impressively using Mindanao fabrics. These include T’nalak, Musa, Suyam, Yakan, and Batik that reflect Pamisa’s craftsmanship and love for contemporary arts.
Designers include prominent names in the fashion scene in the southern Philippines—Joy Soo of MUSA, Katniss Griffiths of Katwalk Industries, Philippine Fashion Academy alumnus Merlyn Ramos, Daryl Tejano, Alexies Redecio, Julien Gentica, Che Aranjuez, and Ivan Raborar.
Allusion Fashion Exhibit is directed by Creative directors Xioti Chiu, Dale Chan, and Art directors Wilfred Dexter Tanedo, Rex Del Rosario, and Junno Avala.
Fashion Designers Alliance (FaDAL) Director and Creator – In – Chief, Levenson Rodriguez
FaDAL Director and Creator, In-Chief, Levenson Rodriguez flew from Manila for the event. He said that he was inspired by the rich culture and the talents of Mindanao. The event was a driving force for all of the designers to keep the passion burning despite the pandemic.
Xioti Chiu noted that the local fashion industry was struggling to keep the industry afloat during the pandemic. Chiu said strong communication and coordination among designers helped make ends meet.
Supplies of PPEs are very limited during the height of a series of lockdowns and the shoot-up of COVID-19 cases. Due to this, a number of local fashion designers created and donated PPE’s to front-liners in various hospitals.
Chiu, along with other artists and designers, hopes that the creative industry can continue to hold face-to-face events. The country is slowly shifting to ease Covid restrictions after all.
The Allusions Fashion Exhibit ran from November 22 concluding with Allusion: Fashion Reset Fashion Show last December 3 at LA Herencia Davao, the city’s latest hub for arts and artisans.
Allusions Fashion Exhibit is one of the highlights of Davao Art Kollective 2021.
